The difference between a mail and an email may be well known but that has not prevented two Opposition members in Lok Sabha from asking the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) about it.

A written question in this regard was asked by Purnmasi Ram, a JD(U) MP from Gopalganj in Bihar and C R Patil, a BJP MP from Navsari in Gujarat, who sought to know from the Prime Minister the difference between the two modes of communication.

"Mail is a paper based dak/communication. Email is an electronic form of dak/communication," Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V Narayanasamy replied.

The two MPs also sought to know if there is a restriction on general public to send their grievances to senior officials and ministers through email and whether most of the emails received by government establishments remain "unanswered and deleted without replies."

The Minister replied in negative to both the questions.

The MPs also sought to know number of complaints received through email by the officers of DoPT and the number of them pending for action and reply to complainant.

"The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances does not centrally maintain data/information about the emails received by Ministries/Departments of Government of India," the Minister said in the reply.

He said as per Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure (CSMOP), email is like any ordinary dak/communication received in the Government and the officers are liable to take cognisance of the complaint received from general public through mail and e-mail.

"Action is taken against officials adopting dilatory tactics or wilfully causing delays in disposal of work assigned to them, as per Central Civil Services Conduct Rules," he said.